Facial muscle exerciser

ABSTRACT

A facial muscle exerciser is described comprising a disc insertable between the lips and teeth, said disc being integrally connected to a resilient member or to a rigid barrel containing such resilient member.

United States Patent 11 1 Wright Apr. 23, 1974 [54] FACIAL MUSCLEEXERCISER FOREIGN. PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor: John Wright, 5544San Patricio 151,137 9/1920 Great Britain 128/62 A Dr., Santa Barbara,Calif. 93105 Filedi y 19, 1972 Primary ExaminerLawrence W. Trapp [211App]. No: 252,517 Attorney, Agent, or Firm- -I. Morley Drucker [52] US.Cl. 128/62 A, 128/67 5 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl ..A61h 7/00 [58] Field ofSearch 128/62 A, 67, 44, 51, 52, A facial muscle exerciser is describedcomprising a 128/76 disc insertable between the lips and teeth, saiddisc being integrally connected to a resilient member or to [56]References Cited a rigid barrel containing such resilient member. UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 4 Cl 3 D F 2,685,287 8/1954 Golfier et al 128/62 A gums 1FACIAL MUSCLE EXERCISER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The structuredisclosed, when properly manipulated, exerts intermittent forwardpressure on the lips and for that purpose is inserted between the teethand lips, causing the firming and restoring of the tone of the lip andother facial muscles. The structure comprises a disc insertable betweenteeth and lips, a resilient member connected integrally to the disc, viathe intermediary of a short stem extending from the center of the disc.The resilient member may, by way of example, consist simply of anelastic rubber tubing attached to the short stem, which may or may notbe provided with an. auxiliary holdingmeans at its free end. Theresilient member may also comprise a resiliently mounted rigid tubing.The resilient member causes intermittent forward pressure to be exertedon the lips through the disc portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The applicant calls attention to thefollowing prior United States Patents which are representative of 'thelip exerciser art.

PATENTEE U.S. PAT. NO. ISSUE DATE C. G. Purdy l,953,088 Apr. 3, I934 L.Barons 3,l l8,667 Jan. 21, 1964 Neither of the above listed patentsdiscloses the simplified and resilient construction of applicantsinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS silient member is subject;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the facial muscle exerciserof FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a modified facial muscle exerciser.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT This invention relates to afacial muscle exerciser, which primarily is concerned with thestrengthening and firming up of facial muscles such as zygomaticus,triangularis, labii superioris and inferioris, mentalis, orbicularisoris, caninus and others in order to restore their muscle tone and as acosmetic aid to men and women to delay or to minimize the formation ofwrinkles of the lip area.

The invention is also intended for use in orthodontics by individualswho suffer from malocclusion, the improper closing or alignment of theteeth (which prevents normal mastication of foods) and is intended foruse with other muscular facial problems, as well. The prevention, orimprovement, of these conditions becomes especially important duringthe. formative years of permanent teeth.

It is a primary object of this invention to replace or complementdevices hitherto used in therapy of facial muscles by providing a safe,simple and efficient device for stimulation and strengthening of thefacial muscles thus aiding in developing healthier and stronger muscles.

It is another major object of the invention to provide an exercisingdevice for use in orthodontics, which exerts stimulation pressure,simultaneously on the upper and lower lips, thus strengthening the lipmuscles thereby contributing to the minimization of the protru sion ofteeth, particularly in children.

With reference to the drawing, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the facialmuscle exerciser 8, comprises a plastic disc 10, insertable manually forplacement between the teeth and the upper and lower lips. The disc 10,preferably of circular shape, is provided with a short integral plasticstem 14, extending integrally from the center thereof, which is adaptedto be rigidly connected to one end of a resilient member, for example,an elastic rubber tubing 12. One end of tubing 12 is affixed to theouter end of the stem 14 by a metal or plastic ring 15 of appropriatesize. The disc 10 should preferably measure about 20-35 mm. andoptimally about 25 mm. in diameter. The resilient member preferably hasa normal unstretched length of about 60-100 mm, about mm. being optimal.The other end of rubber tubing 12 serves as a manual holding pointduring the exercises.

FIGS. 1 and 2 both illustrate the use of the facial muscle exercisenthedisc portion 10 of which is manually inserted, as described, forexertingoutward pressure on both upper and lower internal lip surfacewhen theresilient member 12 is stretched, and relieving said pressure as theresilient member is relaxed.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the facial muscle exerciser and isdesignated by the numeral 20. The shape of the plastic disc 22 in thisembodiment, is not circular and is adapted to more precisely conform tothe contours of the lip area subjected to the exercise and may befurther modified to meet individual requirements of the patient,depending on which facial muscles are to be firmed.

The resilient member of the modified form of exerciser 20 comprises aspring-loaded plunger 29 carried within a rigid barrel 26, said barrelbeing attached to a plastic stem 24 which, in turn, is affixed to thedisc 22.

More specifically, the plastic stem 24 is integrally molded to the disc22. One end of the rigid barrel 26, preferably made of plastic or metal,is affixed to stem 24. The other end of the barrel 26 has a plastic plug18 fitted therein, said plastic plug 18 having an opening for movementof a spring-loaded plunger 29 therethrough.

Plunger 29 comprises a handle 30, a stem 28 affixed to the handle and aninner end 34 removably affixed to stem 28. The stem 28 of the plungerpasses through the apertured plug 18. A spring 32 is held between innerend 34 of the plunger and the plug; 18 of the barrel 26. The plunger 29rides within said barrel from a position wherein the spring 32 is notcompressed (as shown in FIG. 3).to a position wherein the spring iscompressed by moving the plunger to the right in FIG. 3. The spring 32is then compressed between the inner end 34 of the plunger and the plug18 of the barrel 26 causing pressure to be exerted by the disc 22 on thelip and other facial muscles. Upon relaxation of pressureon the plunger29, the plunger moves to the left in FIG. 3 under the influence ofspring 32 and no pressure is then exerted on the lipand facial muscles.

The user of the facial muscle exerciser 20 merely places the disc 22between the lips and teeth and initially pulls forwardly (to the rightin FIG. 3) on the handle 30 of the plunger 29, thus imparting a strongforward pressure of the disc against the lips. This pressure as appliedagainst the lips is found to have a beneficially firming effect on thelip and other facial muscles.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is nowcontemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, theembodiments of the invention are, of course, subject to modificationwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore,it is not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form ofconstruction illustrated and described, but to cover all modificationsthat may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A facial muscle exerciser, comprising:

a solid, noninflatable disc of sufficient thinness to be readilyinsertable between the teeth and lips;

a resilient member, one end of which is affixed to said disc, thereciprocal motions of said resilient member causing said disc to exertintermittent pressure against the lips.

2. The facial muscle exerciser of claim 1 wherein said resilient memberconsists of a rubber tube having one end thereof affixed to said discand the other end thereof free to move in reciprocal motion to causesaid disc to exert intermittent pressure against the lips.

3. A facial muscle exerciser, comprisingz'a disc, in-

sertable between teeth and lips;

a stem integrally connected to and extending from the center of saiddisc;

a barrel mounted onto the free end of said stem;

a resilient member accommodated with the barrel;

a plunger mounted for reciprocating movement within said barrel; and

a spring means fitted within said barrel and movable with the movementof said plunger from a compressed state to a decompressed state.

4. A facial muscle exerciser, comprising:

a disc insertable between the teeth and lips;

a resilient member, one end of which is affixed to said disc, thereciprocal motions of said resilient member causing said disc to exertintermittent pressure against the lips, said resilient member comprisinga rigid barrel and a spring-loaded plunger riding within said barrelwhereby the spring of said spring loader plunger may be compressed anddecompressed.

1. A facial muscle exerciser, comprising: a solid, noninflatable disc ofsufficient thinness to be readily insertable between the teeth and lips;a resilient member, one end of which is affixed to said disc, thereciprocal motions of said resilient member causing said disc to exertintermittent pressure against the lips.
 2. The facial muscle exerciserof claim 1 wherein said resilient member consists of a rubber tubehaving one end thereof affixed to said disc and the other end thereoffree to move in reciprocal motion to cause said disc to exertintermittent pressure against the lips.
 3. A facial muscle exerciser,comprising: a disc, insertable between teeth and lips; a stem integrallyconnected to and extending from the center of said disc; a barrelmounted onto the free end of said stem; a resilient member accommodatedwith the barrel; a plunger mounted for reciprocating movement withinsaid barrel; and a spring means fitted within said barrel and movablewith the movement of said plunger from a compressed state to adecompressed state.
 4. A facial muscle exerciser, comprising: a discinsertable between the teeth and lips; a resilient member, one end ofwhich is affixed to said disc, the reciprocal motions of said resilientmember causing said disc to exert intermittent pressure against thelips, said resilient member comprising a rigid barrel and aspring-loaded plunger riding within said barrel whereby the spring ofsaid spring loader plunger may be compressed and decompressed.